Goheung Emerging as Space Hub... Urgent Need for Railway Network Support

[Anchor]

Anchored by the nation's only space center, Goheung has leaped forward as a hub for South Korea's space industry. With related industries expected to cluster there, growing calls are emerging for a railway network to support the movement of manpower and equipment.

Here is a report from KBC's Kim Yeon-jun.

[Reporter]

Goheung has established itself as the center of South Korea's space industry, following the consecutive launches of the Naro and Nuri space launch vehicles from the Naro Space Center.

The government plans to invest 1.6 trillion won by 2031 to create a space launch vehicle cluster.

Agreements for tenancy have already been finalized with 12 companies, including Hanwha Aerospace.

While the demand for the movement of personnel, parts, and equipment is expected to surge, the transportation network to support it remains inadequate.

This is why Goheung County has requested the inclusion of the Goheung Space Railway in the 5th National Railway Network Construction Plan, which is set to be announced this year.

[Choi Han-oh / Head of Road Management Team, Construction Division, Goheung County: Transportation accessibility is very poor, taking more than 5 hours to travel to major cities such as the capital area. (Measures are needed) not only for the transportation convenience of residents, but also for the success of the national space industry.]

The Goheung Space Railway is a 46.8-kilometer route connecting Beolgyo in Boseong County, Goheung-eup in Goheung County, and Nokdong Port.

The estimated project cost is about 1.2 trillion won.

If constructed, it will connect with the Gyeongjeon Line, reducing travel time from Seoul to Goheung to the 2-hour range.

A national highway expansion project connecting Goheung-eup to the Naro Space Center is also underway, raising expectations for synergistic effects.

In particular, the county emphasizes that if the route is not included, it would have to wait another 10 years until the next railway network construction, which could delay the growth of the space industry.

[Gong Young-min / Mayor of Goheung County: It is a 10-year plan, and if it is not included this time, Goheung will have to consider railway construction 10 years later. That is why it must be included this time.]

Goheung is building a space industry ecosystem centered around the Naro Space Center.

Whether it is reflected in the national railway network plan is expected to be a variable determining the pace of the space industry's development.

(Video Journalist: Kim Hyeong-soo, KBC)

Kim Yeon-jun, KBC
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.